More physical buttons could come to the interior of the Chinese-built Mazda 6e and CX-6e electric vehicles if enough customers call for them, the brand has revealed.
It contrasts with comments by the boss of the new Mazda CX-5 project – which has a similar lack of physical controls – who said its touchscreen is less distracting to use than traditional buttons would be in the same cabin.
The 6e sedan and CX-6e SUV have launched in Australia as adaptations of models first engineered for China, where customers value big screens and glitzy tech over old-school switchgear that is fundamentally more ergonomically sound.
Mazda CX-6e and 6e program manager Hiroshi Ozawa told Drive that physical buttons are under consideration to join future Chinese-made Mazdas.
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“Some customers still want to have physical buttons, and we are aware of that,” he said through an interpreter.
“So in the future, including future models, what is the best in terms of customer benefit, of course we will keep considering that, yes.”
Asked if more buttons could come to the 6e and CX-6e, Ozawa-san said through an interpreter: “One of the options, maybe it’s possible that we consider retrofit [of] the buttons – that’s one option.
“But it all depends on the direction of the market and also the customer feedback we may receive.”
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Pressed on whether it could arrive with a mid-life facelift, he said: “The timing of [the] facelift is not decided.”
The only physical switchgear in the 6e and CX-6e is found on the steering wheel, and the window switches on the doors.
There are no dials for volume or air conditioning, instead routing key functions through large infotainment screens measuring 15.6 inches across in the sedan, and 26.45 inches in the SUV.
Interest in adding buttons back into the Mazda electric siblings contrasts with remarks made by the program manager for the new CX-5 – which has a similar interior concept, lacking physical controls for most functions – earlier this year.
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“Air conditioning, you can operate with a finger, and if we have to put the physical button, that will be at the lower position,” Koichiro Yamaguchi said via a translator.
“Then the driver has to look down, and [there are] 15 similar-looking switches.
“That means that you rather have to look down and select the correct button – actually, requires the driver [to take eyes] off the road.
“So rather than that, it’s better to have this control on the screen – minimise this change [distraction].”
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The Mazda 6e and CX-6e engineer said touchscreen interfaces are designed for the passenger as much as they’re intended to be easy for the driver to use.
“While we try to adopt some of those intelligent features for CX-6e and Mazda 6e, when it comes to large screens, it’s not about the intelligence. It’s for a passenger,” said Ozawa-san through a translator.
“When a car is parked for the passenger, it should be easy to operate a large screen from the passenger seat.
“So information necessary for the driver and the information necessary for the passenger, both are considered to use that style for the development of the large screen.”
The post Mazda 6e, CX-6e return to buttons under consideration if customers ask appeared first on Drive.
